Investing in Vibrant Communities

Communities benefit from revitalized main streets, parks, arts and culture

Our communities and neighbourhoods — where we live, work, go to school and raise our families — are the lifeblood of Ontario.

In 2014, you elected us to build Ontario up. Since then, the Ontario Liberal government has revitalized communities across the province through investments in culture and recreation, transportation and by creating community hubs.

But we are hearing from people that we need to do more. Boosting arts and culture and renewing cultural institutions is good for our communities and for the economy. Public libraries provide programs and services that support early learning, job training and that help newcomers settle. Vibrant downtown areas and tourist attractions boost economic growth. Community hubs create one-stop, local access to programs and services.

That’s why the Ontario Liberals will continue to invest in music, libraries, museums, theatres and other cultural centres. We will support live music, preserve our heritage and invest in our creative industries, including publishing, digital media and our thriving film and TV industry. We are renewing downtown areas and helping people who want to establish community hubs. Our plan is:

Investing an additional $50 million in the Ontario Arts Council, which provides grants to arts organizations throughout the province, bringing provincial funding to $80 million annually by 2020-21 and working to further enhance funding beyond that date

Investing up to $26 million in a Main Street Revitalization Initiative to help communities boost jobs and growth

Promoting more engagement for seniors in the arts

Investing $28 million over three years to create a provincial Digital Public Library to enhance access to digital content across all communities

Increasing operating funding to public libraries by $51 million over three years

Supporting the development of community hubs by better utilizing provincially owned properties, a new capital grant program and providing useful resources, such as an online portal to connect groups and provide facilitation and mediation support

Transforming Ontario Place into an all-season waterfront attraction, including a 20-acre green space to host open-air events in Toronto

Supporting Indigenous culture

Helping Toronto save key cultural and social purpose institutions, such as 401 Richmond, by creating a new property tax class to lower the cost of operating these properties

Continuing our support for the Ontario Music Fund, which helps artists grow their audiences at home and abroad